Security - What's New - Archive

WomenMatter will continuously post updates on all this and other issues as we monitor the continuing philosophical and practical debates nationwide. Please check back often for updates. Past updates are available for reference on the Security Archives page.

Slowly but not Surely: Moving on Immigration?

Are you in favor of allowing citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently working in the United States? Do you favor the House or the Senate plan for immigration? What do you think of the large demonstrations by Latinos who are opposed to the House bill?

Senate passes immigration bill

On May 25, 2006, the Senate passed the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 with a majority of 62-36.

The legislation, which passed after hearty debate and bipartisan compromise, would construct a 370-mile fence along the border and require businesses to verify workers through the Department of Homeland Security or else face heavy fines. Further, it would allow up to 200,000 foreigners to enter the United States legally to work.

Illegal immigrants who have lived in the U.S. five years or more would be able to become citizens if they were to remain employed, go through background checks, learn English, and pay fines and back taxes. Undocumented immigrants who have been in the U.S. less than two years would have to leave the country and apply for the guest worker program.

Thirty-two Republicans voted against the bill because they oppose the citizenship piece, and four Democrats joined them. These Democrats, Robert Byrd (WV), Ben Nelson (NE), Byron Dorgan (ND), and Debbie Stabenow (MI) work for voters who oppose guest worker permits and citizenship for illegal immigrants.

Coming to a consensus

Passing the Senate bill was the easy part. Getting the Senate to come to an agreement with the House is another matter. The two bills are different in important ways, and those sticking points threaten to sink Congress’ effort altogether.

There are those who believe that the House would pass a bill like the Senate one if Speaker Hastert would let a vote come to the full House now. Hastert, however, does not permit any vote on which the Republicans cannot produce a majority. So a vote that would include bipartisan agreement of most Democrats and some Republicans cannot happen. The power of the leadership of the majority party is enormous - if he/she chooses to use it. Therefore, Hastert lets the immigration issue go to a joint committee that is appointed by the leadership of the two parties in the two houses. Who will be on that committee?

The Senate-House committee that works out the differences between the two bills - called a conference committee - will battle over their differing philosophies, especially on the citizenship question. Some House members have shown a willingness to compromise on the guest worker program, which businesses support, but many are passionate about preventing citizenship for current undocumented immigrants, who would become felons under the House bill.

Those members believe illegal immigration to be a crime, rather than an economic necessity, and plan to legislate according to that philosophy.

The Hispanic community has been protesting this legislation since January with large political demonstrations.

What about the House bill? Does it have to be amnesty versus criminalization?

Many of the loudest voices in the debate speak of immigration reform in broad strokes. The flashing ideas at either end of the spectrum seem to be 1) Enforce the illegality of undocumented immigration, meaning criminalize undocumented workers or 2) legalize them and give them full amnesty.

Both of these positions are hard to maintain under a critical eye. Many argue that making felons of all undocumented workers is both unfair and illogical. It puts business owners in the untenable position of harboring those felons and prevents undocumented workers any hope of integration into American society and culture. Further, it denies the economic realities of the labor market - the U.S. demands and requires cheap immigrant labor and underdeveloped nations are eager to provide it.

On the other end of the debate, full amnesty seems equally unsound. It would likely encourage more illegal immigration and put a greater strain on the state-sponsored human services that undocumented workers use while they’re here.

Further, a steady supply of unskilled labor drives down wages for all lower-skill jobs. George Borjas and Lawrence Katz of Harvard University estimate that U.S. high school dropouts would earn as much as 8 percent more if it weren’t for Mexican immigration.

What do you think?

How can the House and Senate resolve their differences on this important issue? How do you depend on undocumented workers’ labor? How will new immigration law affect the economy? Do your representatives know how you feel?

Your input matters

Your representatives DO care what you think. Especially now -- 2006 is an election year and many representatives will be looking to reconnect with their constituents. Let your congressmen and women know what you think! Give your senators a piece of your mind! To find your reps, click here.

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Update Posted on: 5/28/2006